Starting today I decided to address deeper theological perspective on a new Blog called Facebible. I believe Trinitarian Theology is not only Dogmatics / Doctrinal but most importantly RELATIONAL.
My original intent when I created Included by Grace is that relational aspect How the Trinitarian Theology is significant in the ordinary circumstances of our life. When you are with your family, at your work or simply conversing with a stranger.
Most Christians say they are Trinitarians simply because they believe that God is .Father, Son and Holy Spirit. but how does knowing the Triune God affect their daily lives? their being a husband, housewife, doctor, teacher? That's what we will be talking in this site.
Since I notice that the theme have somewhat shifted on the original purpose, I created Facebible for those who are Doctrinally interested. That site will be dealing with deeper apologetics and exposing controversial errors.
Meanwhile , Included by Grace will continue serving you on Relational matters so that you will know that you are embraced by His Grace.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
The Neglected Subject of Romans 3:24...
Most Christians when they are evengelizing unbelievers will qoute Romans 3:23 " for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." They are saying this to prove that the person they are talking with, no matter how he may think of himself will be able to know and admit that he is a sinner because "all" have sinned.
Since the Christian is supposed to be the bringer of the "gospel" or good news, he will now proclaim that after admitting that he is a sinner, the person must now repent, say the sinners prayer SO THAT he will be justified of his sins only after sincerely doing the given conditions....
BUT WAIT....
The GOOD NEWS is in Romans 3:24. which unfortunately most preachers do not quote.
" and are JUSTIFIED by his grace as a gift, through Christ Jesus..." Romans 3:24
AHA...
Who are justified ( past tense ) by his grace ? What is the subject of " are justified ?
OPPS... Don't be too sure you know.....
Let us put verses 23 and 24 : " for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and ARE JUSTIFIED by his grace as a gift through Christ Jesus...
The GOOD NEWS: ALL have sinned... ALL are justified...
Our salvation , our justification is all Centered in Christ..
Since the Christian is supposed to be the bringer of the "gospel" or good news, he will now proclaim that after admitting that he is a sinner, the person must now repent, say the sinners prayer SO THAT he will be justified of his sins only after sincerely doing the given conditions....
BUT WAIT....
The GOOD NEWS is in Romans 3:24. which unfortunately most preachers do not quote.
" and are JUSTIFIED by his grace as a gift, through Christ Jesus..." Romans 3:24
AHA...
Who are justified ( past tense ) by his grace ? What is the subject of " are justified ?
OPPS... Don't be too sure you know.....
Let us put verses 23 and 24 : " for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and ARE JUSTIFIED by his grace as a gift through Christ Jesus...
The GOOD NEWS: ALL have sinned... ALL are justified...
Our salvation , our justification is all Centered in Christ..
Friday, April 22, 2011
For Few ..or for All ... Who is Right? (Understanding the Person and Work of Christ )
That Jesus died on the Cross is the reality that every Christian is reflecting this Lenten Season. It is one of the most important events in history...
Every person may be asking " How can I be benefited in what Christ did at the cross?"
One Christian may answer: "You are surely benefited because Christ died for all, and that includes you."
Another Christian may answer: You may be benefited because Christ died for select few. Well as of now we do not know if you are among the elect or not... but just in case, you try your best to understand the gospel because if you did understand and believe, hmm that might be the sign that you are elect. Because you will not believe anyway, if you are not among the elect. But of course you have to prove for a lifetime that you are really elect by the fruits of your life. But do not worry because you can not be snatched from the Father and Jesus hands IF you are really an elect. You may fall several times but you will always come back if you are among the chosen. However, if after several years of faithfulness you fall down and never come back.. hmmmm... well you really did not believe after all. You really is not a Christian, because if you were a true Christian , you will not fall back permanently. So all those years you just deceive your self and others that you are a believer when in fact you are not.You failed to overcome until the end and so you are a reprobate.
WHY the difference in answer as to whether Jesus died for few or for all ?
The Christian who answered that " You are surely benefited because Christ died for all and that includes you"
is looking NOT only at what Jesus did on the Cross (He died), but looks at the same time on WHO Jesus is...the Second Adam (Romans 5). He understands that the Cross should not be isolated from the Incarnation of the Son of God as if he became human only for the reason of dying.
In the beginning God - Father , Son and Holy Spirit enjoys a communion. There is relationship of Love. The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father through the communion of the Holy Spirit. They created humanity for adoption into this communion. For humans to be able to enter into that relationship the Son will have to be made flesh so that in him is both humanity and divinity. a union of God and man.
"...even as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Christ according to the purpose of his will " Ephesians 1: 4-5
Because Adam fell into sin , all are under condemnation so Jesus also is the Second Adam the one new man so that he reversed the effect of the fall. as vicarious man.
"Therefore, as one tresspass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. ( Romans 5:18).
When he died, all died when he was raised all are raised. That is the Person and and Being of the Son of God which should be the foundation of our understanding of what he did.
HOW about the one who answered Jesus died for the few and not for all?
That Christian separated the Person of Christ from his Work. He focused only from what Christ did. ( He died ) and then proceeded with the HOW and the WHY. He used a logico-causal connection principle that was discussed in the former post.
Here is how it goes: If Christ died for all, then all must necessarily be saved, but since some will go to hell, then he did not die for all. His death is sufficient for all but efficient only for some.
To explain this they arrived at a view of Predestination that there was an eternal decree in the past in which God will protect this decree by his sovereignty. The decree is the reason why Christ came and died for the predestined elect. ( in which some of their critics argued that if there is such decree, even if Jesus will not come and die, they will be saved anyway because there was already a decree that God in his sovereignty will make it come to pass ) So they resulted to another reason that Jesus must die so that there will be justice. Jesus suffered the wrath of the Father on our behalf.
WHO finally is right?
The differences are presented to you.
1. Those who believe he died for all are looking not only on what Jesus did but for WHO Jesus is.
2. Those who believe he died for few based in from logico-causal connections, a little Greek word-study and a unique hermeneutics in which the words ALL in the Bible will mean "not all".
Every person may be asking " How can I be benefited in what Christ did at the cross?"
One Christian may answer: "You are surely benefited because Christ died for all, and that includes you."
Another Christian may answer: You may be benefited because Christ died for select few. Well as of now we do not know if you are among the elect or not... but just in case, you try your best to understand the gospel because if you did understand and believe, hmm that might be the sign that you are elect. Because you will not believe anyway, if you are not among the elect. But of course you have to prove for a lifetime that you are really elect by the fruits of your life. But do not worry because you can not be snatched from the Father and Jesus hands IF you are really an elect. You may fall several times but you will always come back if you are among the chosen. However, if after several years of faithfulness you fall down and never come back.. hmmmm... well you really did not believe after all. You really is not a Christian, because if you were a true Christian , you will not fall back permanently. So all those years you just deceive your self and others that you are a believer when in fact you are not.You failed to overcome until the end and so you are a reprobate.
WHY the difference in answer as to whether Jesus died for few or for all ?
The Christian who answered that " You are surely benefited because Christ died for all and that includes you"
is looking NOT only at what Jesus did on the Cross (He died), but looks at the same time on WHO Jesus is...the Second Adam (Romans 5). He understands that the Cross should not be isolated from the Incarnation of the Son of God as if he became human only for the reason of dying.
In the beginning God - Father , Son and Holy Spirit enjoys a communion. There is relationship of Love. The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father through the communion of the Holy Spirit. They created humanity for adoption into this communion. For humans to be able to enter into that relationship the Son will have to be made flesh so that in him is both humanity and divinity. a union of God and man.
"...even as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Christ according to the purpose of his will " Ephesians 1: 4-5
Because Adam fell into sin , all are under condemnation so Jesus also is the Second Adam the one new man so that he reversed the effect of the fall. as vicarious man.
"Therefore, as one tresspass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. ( Romans 5:18).
When he died, all died when he was raised all are raised. That is the Person and and Being of the Son of God which should be the foundation of our understanding of what he did.
HOW about the one who answered Jesus died for the few and not for all?
That Christian separated the Person of Christ from his Work. He focused only from what Christ did. ( He died ) and then proceeded with the HOW and the WHY. He used a logico-causal connection principle that was discussed in the former post.
Here is how it goes: If Christ died for all, then all must necessarily be saved, but since some will go to hell, then he did not die for all. His death is sufficient for all but efficient only for some.
To explain this they arrived at a view of Predestination that there was an eternal decree in the past in which God will protect this decree by his sovereignty. The decree is the reason why Christ came and died for the predestined elect. ( in which some of their critics argued that if there is such decree, even if Jesus will not come and die, they will be saved anyway because there was already a decree that God in his sovereignty will make it come to pass ) So they resulted to another reason that Jesus must die so that there will be justice. Jesus suffered the wrath of the Father on our behalf.
WHO finally is right?
The differences are presented to you.
1. Those who believe he died for all are looking not only on what Jesus did but for WHO Jesus is.
2. Those who believe he died for few based in from logico-causal connections, a little Greek word-study and a unique hermeneutics in which the words ALL in the Bible will mean "not all".
Monday, April 18, 2011
What Other Christians Fail to See... Let Us See
When you talk to some Christians , they will always bring you to their concept of election. That some elected some people for salvation, while others for damnation.
Where did they get this idea? Actually not from the Scriptures directly ( though they will argue that they did )
They are actually using the " logico- causal connection" in their interpretation. This led them to conclude that the atonement of Jesus is "sufficient" for all but "efficient" only for some.
As explained by Martin Davis, professor of Theology , All Nations Seminary "According to this argument, if the atoning death of Christ applies to all men, then logically and causally all men must of necessity be saved, on the other hand if some perish in hell, then logically and causally the efficacy of the atonement does not reach them."
Sadly... the "logico - causal connection" interpretation did not come originally from John Calvin (which this Christians claim to follow ) but from Theodore Beza the successor of Calvin after he died.
" Beza appears the perfect pupil and alter-ego of Calvin. His view of life is deterministic and the basis of his religious thinking is the predistinate recognition of the necessity of all temporal existence as an effect of the absolute, eternal, and immutable will of God. So that even the fall of human race appears to him essential to the divine plan of God" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Beza)
NOW... What did they fail to see...
These Christians focused on what Christ did and failed to see who Jesus is...
They focused on the Work of Christ and separated it from the Person of Christ...
The Trinitarian/ Incarnational Theology approach
As we look at Christ death we must not separate the identity of the one who died on the Cross. He is Jesus - the Son of God and the Son of Man.
"In regard to the... doctrine of limited atonement, there is a " disjunction" or dualism that bifurcates the divine and human natures of Christ, divides his being and his acts, and consequently separates the incarnation from the atonement", (Martin Davis, TF Torrance: The Atonement,pt 8 )
Yes - Jesus humanity is the key to understanding whom did he die for... He is not an ordinary man. He is a vicarious man .He is the Second Adam. Romans 5 clearly explains that just as what happened to Adam effected to all humanity, what happened to the Second Adam effected also to all humanity.
Before the foundation of the world, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit plans to adopt humanity into their communion. It was a plan of inclusion rather than exclusion. To say that Jesus died for some while excluding the others is failing to see his Person as the Second Adam - the vicarious man. To say that God ,by a divine decree, elects some to be saved while the rest are not is not understanding the original purpose of the Trinity.
" Therefore as one tresspass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men." Romans 5:18 ESV
Where did they get this idea? Actually not from the Scriptures directly ( though they will argue that they did )
They are actually using the " logico- causal connection" in their interpretation. This led them to conclude that the atonement of Jesus is "sufficient" for all but "efficient" only for some.
As explained by Martin Davis, professor of Theology , All Nations Seminary "According to this argument, if the atoning death of Christ applies to all men, then logically and causally all men must of necessity be saved, on the other hand if some perish in hell, then logically and causally the efficacy of the atonement does not reach them."
Sadly... the "logico - causal connection" interpretation did not come originally from John Calvin (which this Christians claim to follow ) but from Theodore Beza the successor of Calvin after he died.
" Beza appears the perfect pupil and alter-ego of Calvin. His view of life is deterministic and the basis of his religious thinking is the predistinate recognition of the necessity of all temporal existence as an effect of the absolute, eternal, and immutable will of God. So that even the fall of human race appears to him essential to the divine plan of God" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Beza)
NOW... What did they fail to see...
These Christians focused on what Christ did and failed to see who Jesus is...
They focused on the Work of Christ and separated it from the Person of Christ...
The Trinitarian/ Incarnational Theology approach
As we look at Christ death we must not separate the identity of the one who died on the Cross. He is Jesus - the Son of God and the Son of Man.
"In regard to the... doctrine of limited atonement, there is a " disjunction" or dualism that bifurcates the divine and human natures of Christ, divides his being and his acts, and consequently separates the incarnation from the atonement", (Martin Davis, TF Torrance: The Atonement,pt 8 )
Yes - Jesus humanity is the key to understanding whom did he die for... He is not an ordinary man. He is a vicarious man .He is the Second Adam. Romans 5 clearly explains that just as what happened to Adam effected to all humanity, what happened to the Second Adam effected also to all humanity.
Before the foundation of the world, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit plans to adopt humanity into their communion. It was a plan of inclusion rather than exclusion. To say that Jesus died for some while excluding the others is failing to see his Person as the Second Adam - the vicarious man. To say that God ,by a divine decree, elects some to be saved while the rest are not is not understanding the original purpose of the Trinity.
" Therefore as one tresspass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men." Romans 5:18 ESV
Friday, April 15, 2011
Another Problem with wrong Theology...(Why Most People Rely on Works..).
In the last post, we have seen that starting our Theology with Why and How will bring more problems... The real question must be Who... Knowing Jesus - the greatest revelation of God is the key to understanding.
Another problem is when we start with the "gospel" of Separation...(Maybe your first time to hear this, but it really exists)
Many people think that they are preaching a good news for people. But when they see a person they will announce that he is separated from God. That God is angry/ wrathful and is waiting an opportunity to punished humanity and likes to roasts them in hell UNLESS (here is the catch ) something will be done in order to appease God of his wrath.That unless the person will not recite a sinners prayer or affirm some creeds, he is not yet reconciled...
Here is the reason why most people rely on works for their salvation.. Because they have been taught that they are separated from God and therefore they need to do something to bring them near to a far God.They are even thought that even if they began a relationship with God, it is an on and off relationship, based on performance
The reality is that humanity can not by themselves bridge the gap, that is why 2000 years ago Jesus was born as the vicarious man to bring us in his relationship to the Father. We are adopted and can now have a relationship with God. Of course we need to believe we are reconciled but our belief did not start the reconciliation, Jesus did it already. We believe so that we can now participate in that relationship personally.
No one is separated anymore... Everyone is included by grace...
So Where are we in relation to God? He is a God who is near....We are near Him and He is embracing us...
Another problem is when we start with the "gospel" of Separation...(Maybe your first time to hear this, but it really exists)
Many people think that they are preaching a good news for people. But when they see a person they will announce that he is separated from God. That God is angry/ wrathful and is waiting an opportunity to punished humanity and likes to roasts them in hell UNLESS (here is the catch ) something will be done in order to appease God of his wrath.That unless the person will not recite a sinners prayer or affirm some creeds, he is not yet reconciled...
Here is the reason why most people rely on works for their salvation.. Because they have been taught that they are separated from God and therefore they need to do something to bring them near to a far God.They are even thought that even if they began a relationship with God, it is an on and off relationship, based on performance
The reality is that humanity can not by themselves bridge the gap, that is why 2000 years ago Jesus was born as the vicarious man to bring us in his relationship to the Father. We are adopted and can now have a relationship with God. Of course we need to believe we are reconciled but our belief did not start the reconciliation, Jesus did it already. We believe so that we can now participate in that relationship personally.
No one is separated anymore... Everyone is included by grace...
So Where are we in relation to God? He is a God who is near....We are near Him and He is embracing us...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Is Your Theology Bringing More Problems Than Answers?
My Christian friend asked me this question :" If God loves all humanity and Jesus died for all - WHY will not all be saved?"
Then, he proceeded to explain, HOW to solve the problem, by concluding that Jesus did not die for all - but only for the elect. He tried to convince me that "all" does not really mean all but "some".
THE PROBLEM with this kind of Theological approach is the wrong question being asked. or shall we say an obviously wrong starting point.
If we start our theology with the WHY and HOW - by all means it will bring lot more whys and hows until we really get confused.
THE SOLUTION is to have a proper starting point of a theology - by asking WHO?
Who is Jesus Christ? He is the complete revelation of who God really is...
Instead of forming conclusions based from logical deductions and weird interpretations - we must look to Jesus who revealed the Father who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son...
We must look to Jesus who is both God and Man. His birth, life, death , resurrection and ascension is primarily for humanity..
If we start our Theology with WHO - we will fully understand WHO is God and WHO we are in Him.
Then, he proceeded to explain, HOW to solve the problem, by concluding that Jesus did not die for all - but only for the elect. He tried to convince me that "all" does not really mean all but "some".
THE PROBLEM with this kind of Theological approach is the wrong question being asked. or shall we say an obviously wrong starting point.
If we start our theology with the WHY and HOW - by all means it will bring lot more whys and hows until we really get confused.
THE SOLUTION is to have a proper starting point of a theology - by asking WHO?
Who is Jesus Christ? He is the complete revelation of who God really is...
Instead of forming conclusions based from logical deductions and weird interpretations - we must look to Jesus who revealed the Father who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son...
We must look to Jesus who is both God and Man. His birth, life, death , resurrection and ascension is primarily for humanity..
If we start our Theology with WHO - we will fully understand WHO is God and WHO we are in Him.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Cross - Just ONE event to remember...
As we are in the Lenten season, we are remembering the sufferings/passion of Christ. The Cross is indeed a very important event in Christian history. Jesus died on the cross for us- for our redemption.
The real question however is --- Did Jesus came ONLY to die?
The purpose of the Incarnation is not only the Cross. It is much more than we ever think. The birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ must be remembered and appreciated with equal and balance significance.
Before the foundation of the world there was a plan...
1. Jesus came for our Adoption
"...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. ( Ephesians 1:4-5)
2.Jesus came for our Redemption
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace. " ( Ephesians 1:7)
3. Jesus came for reconciliation of all things in him
"as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." Ephesians 1:10
All this things he was able to accomplished not only at the cross but by his birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension.
YES the Cross is very important -- as important as the others that Jesus is...
The real question however is --- Did Jesus came ONLY to die?
The purpose of the Incarnation is not only the Cross. It is much more than we ever think. The birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ must be remembered and appreciated with equal and balance significance.
Before the foundation of the world there was a plan...
1. Jesus came for our Adoption
"...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. ( Ephesians 1:4-5)
2.Jesus came for our Redemption
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace. " ( Ephesians 1:7)
3. Jesus came for reconciliation of all things in him
"as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." Ephesians 1:10
All this things he was able to accomplished not only at the cross but by his birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension.
YES the Cross is very important -- as important as the others that Jesus is...
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